Screen for holding refuse sacks open

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a screen for holding refuse sacks ( 7 ) open. The screen ( 1 ) is shorter than the refuse sack ( 7 ) such that open parts ( 7   b ) of the refuse sack ( 7 ) can be folded into the screen ( 1 ). The screen ( 1 ) is designed to stretch the refuse sack ( 7 ). A locking device ( 11 ) is provided to lock the open parts ( 7   b ) of the refuse sack ( 7 ) and the screen ( 1 ) to each other.

The present invention relates to a screen for holding refuse sacks open.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,760,982 A describes a device having a screen for holding refuse sacks open. At this device, the screen has two upwardly movable side panels which makes the construction relatively complex and thereby rather expensive to manufacture and difficult to handle. Neither is it possible to lock the screen and the refuse sack to each other by simple means.

The object of the present invention is to simplify and improve screens for refuse sacks and this is accomplished by providing the screen with the characterizing features of primarily claim 1.

Since the screen is shorter than the refuse sack, said sack may be folded into the screen, which is an advantage inter alia for holding reasons. Since the screen stretches the refuse sack, said sack is also better attached to the screen and is better protected thereby. Since a locking device locks the screen and refuse sack to each other, it is ensured that they do not loosen or separate from each other when carrying them with the refuse sack filled.

The invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a screen according to the invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are side views of a screen according to FIG. 1 when said screen is provided with a refuse sack; and

FIG. 4 is a front view of a screen according to FIG. 1 with a refuse sack placed lying on a support.

The screen has an elongated shape and defines in cross section an arcuate or polygonal flute or groove having two longitudinal edges 2, 3 which are parallel or substantially parallel with each other and which therebetween define a longitudinal opening 1 a. First end portions 1 b of the screen 1 have a transverse first edge 4 and second end portions 1 c thereof have a transverse second edge 5. The edges 4 and 5 are, seen from the side, parallel or substantially parallel with each other. The edges 4 and 5 preferably extend perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal edges 2, 3.

The screen 1 has at least one handle opening 6 which is located at the second end portions 1 c of the screen 1. At the embodiment shown, the screen 1 has three handle openings 6 which are elongated and provided in parallel with the second edge 5.

The screen 1 is designed to be located in a refuse sack 7 and it is shorter than the refuse sack 7. The refuse sack 7 is for the purpose of clarity illustrated with broken lines in FIG. 1. More exactly, the screen 1 is designed to allow threading or pulling the refuse sack 7 over said screen such that parts of said sack will extend freely over and close the longitudinal opening 1 a. The refuse sack 7 can be threaded or pulled onto the screen 1 until closed parts 7 a of the sack 7 are situated at the first end portions 1 b of the screen 1 and open parts 7 b of the sack 7 at the second end portions 1 c of the screen 1.

In order to accomplish this in a simple way, the screen 1 may first be placed upside down on a support 8—see FIG. 2. The refuse sack 7 is preferably threaded or pulled over the screen 1 such that the bottom 9 of said sack 7, at the closed parts 7 a thereof, is situated at and/or engage the first edge 4 of the screen 1. The screen 1 may then be turned such that the first edge 4 thereof is directed downwards, whereupon the screen 1 can be placed on the support 8 through the bottom 9 of the refuse sack 7—see FIG. 3.

The screen 1 may have such length relative to the refuse sack 7 that open parts 7 b of said sack 7 extend beyond the second edge 5 of the screen 1 and said open parts 7 b can be folded into the screen 1 at said second edge 5.

The parts 12 of the refuse sack 7 located outside the screen 1 may preferably be inserted into the handle openings 6 such that one can get hold of said handle openings in order to lift and carry the screen 1 and the refuse sack 7 with or without content.

The screen 1 may be designed such that it stretches the refuse sack 7, which means that also the parts 12 of said sack extending over the opening 1 a will be stretched to a planar shape.

The screen 1 may be made of elastic material which means that it is compressible from a basic shape to a narrower shape. The longitudinal edge 2 is thereby situated closer to the longitudinal edge 3, which is indicated with broken lines in FIG. 1. When the screen 1 has been given its narrower shape, this shape can be maintained by means of a holding-together member 13 which is attached to one 2 of the longitudinal edges 2, 3 of the screen 1 and which can be brought to extend across the opening 1 a for engagement at the other longitudinal edge 3. When the screen 1 has been compressed to its narrower shape and is held therein by the holding-together member 13, it is narrower than the refuse sack 7, which thereby is easy to thread onto the screen 1 or is the screen 1 easy to insert into the refuse sack 7.

When the screen 1 is located inside the refuse sack 7, the holding-together member 13 is released from the said other longitudinal edge 3, whereby the screen 1 springs outwards to its original, basic shape and thus, stretches the refuse sack 7.

The holding-together member 13 may be a wire, one end of which is attached or secured to the longitudinal edge 2 while the other end has a hook 14 with a suitable shape for hooking onto the other longitudinal edge 3.

There may also be a strip 15 (schematically illustrated with broken lines in FIG. 1) which can be hooked on to or attached to the longitudinal edges 2, 3 by a snap-in action, such that the strip 15 extends across the opening 1 a at the second end portion 1 c of the screen 1. The open parts 7 b of the refuse sack 7 may be folded over this strip 15, which stiffens the screen 1 and the refuse sack 7 and protects the sack when it is filled.

The embodiment of the screen 1 described above permits location thereof, with a refuse sack 7, standing free and upright on the support 8—see FIG. 3—whereby the screen 1 continuously holds the refuse sack 7 open so that refuse can be filled therein from above. Thus, the screen 1 defines a support for the refuse sack 7, which allows the sack 7 to stand upright.

As is apparent from FIG. 4, the screen 1 and the refuse sack 7 can be laid down on the support 8 such that the planar or substantially planar parts 12 of the refuse sack 7 are found at or close to the support 8. Hereby, insertion of refuse from the support 8 into the refuse sack 7 is facilitated and this is particularly relevant if the support 8 is relatively level and if the planar parts 12 can be located close thereto and/or at least partially can be brought to engage said suppot 8. Also when the screen 1 and the refuse sack 7 are lying down, the screen 1 keeps the sack 7 open.

When refuse is filled into the refuse sack 7, the screen 1 forms an inner protection in the sack 7 for protection thereof from the inside against penetration by refuse—e.g. twigs—which is inserted into the sack 7. This is true irrespective of whether the screen 1 with the refuse sack 7 stands up or lies down.

When refuse has been filled into the refuse sack 7, said sack 7 may, by means of the screen 1, be carried to a suitable spot for emptying or storage. During this transport of the refuse sack 7, the screen 1 forms a type of transport handle. When the screen 1 is no longer needed, it can be pulled out of the refuse sack 7, which then can be tied up at the top. The risk for overfilling the refuse sack 7 is less while the sack 7 can resume its original shape when the screen 1 is removed therefrom.

The longitudinal edges 2, 3 of the screen 1 may be designed such that they do not damage the refuse sack 7 or are said edges 2, 3 provided with members preventing damage of the refuse sack 7.

There is preferably provided a locking device 11 for locking the open parts 7 b of the refuse sack 7 to the screen 1 so that said refuse sack 7 can not unintentionally slip off the screen 1 or vice versa. This locking device 11 may e.g. include pins 11 a which can extend outwards from the second end portions 1 c of the screen 1. The open parts 7 b of the refuse sack 7 can be pressed against these pins 11 a preferably such that the refuse sack 7 is penetrated thereby and the sack 7 is effectively locked to the screen 1.

The screen 1 may preferably be made of thin-walled polypropylene material or similar and it may be elastic.

The refuse sack 7 may be of plastic bag type or similar, which can be tied up after removal of the screen 1.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment described above and illustrated in the drawings, but may vary within the scope of the subsequent claims. As an example of an embodiment not further described it can be mentioned that the screen 1 can be piled and have a low weight. 

1. Screen for holding refuse sacks (7) open, wherein: the screen (1) is shorter than the refuse sack (7) such that open parts (7 b) of the refuse sack (7) can be folded into the screen (1), the screen (1) is designed to stretch the refuse sack (7), and a locking device (11) is provided on the screen (1) such that open parts (7 b) of the refuse sack (7) can be pressed on said locking device (11).
 2. Screen according to claim 1, wherein: the screen (1) consists of elastic material and is compressible from a normal shape to a narrower shape, the refuse sack (7) can be threaded onto the screen (1) or said screen (1) be inserted into said refuse sack (7) when said screen (1) is compressed to a narrower shape, and the screen (1) can be brought to spring out from its narrower shape to its normal shape and thereby stretch the refuse sack (7).
 3. Screen according to claim 2, wherein a holding-together member (13) is provided to hold the screen (1) in its narrower shape.
 4. Screen according to claim 1, wherein second end portions (1 c) of the screen (1) has at least one handle opening (6) into which parts (12) of the refuse sack (7) are insertable such that one can get hold of the handle opening (6) in order to lift and carry the screen (1) and the refuse sack (7).
 5. Screen according to claim 1, wherein the locking device (11) comprises pins (11 a) which extend outwards from second end portions (1 c) of the screen (1) and against which open parts (7 b) of the refuse sack (7) can be pressed preferably for penetration thereof.
 6. Screen according to claim 1, wherein the screen (1) in cross section has a semicircular or substantially semicircular shape.
 7. Screen according to claim 1, wherein the screen (1) is provided to permit location thereof, with a refuse sack (7) provided thereon, on a support (8) from which refuse shall be moved into the refuse sack (7), such that those parts (12) of the refuse sack (7) which extend between the two longitudinal edges (2, 3) of the screen (1) and which thereby have a planar or substantially planar shape, are situated close to and/or engage said support (8).
 8. Screen according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal edges (2, 3) of the screen (1) are designed or include members for preventing damage of the refuse sack (7) by said longitudinal edges (2, 3).
 9. Screen according to claim 1, wherein a strip (15) can be hooked onto two longitudinal edges (2, 3) of the screen (1) such that said strip (15) extends across an opening (1 a) between said edges (2, 3) at second end portions (1 c) of the screen (1) and that open parts (7 b) of the refuse sack (7) can be folded within said strip (15).
 10. Screen according to claim 1, wherein: the screen (1) is thin-walled and elastic and consists of polypropylene or similar material, and the refuse sack (7) is a plastic bag from which the screen (1) can be removed and which can be tied up after removal of the screen (1). 